Committee of the Whole Budget: June 10, 2024
The Committee of the Whole Budget meeting for the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board took place on June 10, 2024. Staff brought forward one report with two recommendations.
I voted in favour of the recommendations in Report 24-080 on the Staff Recommended Budget. This report brought for the unconsolidated 2024 to 2025 operating budget of $1,169,323,005 and the capital budget of $127,838,114 which creates a balanced budget. During the discussion, I asked the following questions (timestamp 24:30):
Question: The central administration fund and I am seeing that there has been an increase. I am consistently hearing from my community that the District is top-heavy and I am wondering if you can provide some insight into how the school community will be served with this increase. Besides the three positions discussed at the last Committee of the Whole Budget.
Answer: There has been a reallocation of resources including cleaning staff that support 133 Greenbank. Also, there was an increase in labour cost due to pay raises for Bill 124.
Question: Have the two payroll supports been made permanent?
Answer: If the budget is passed, they will be made permanent.
Question: I see that we spend almost $95,000 on retirement gratitude. Can you please explain what this fund is being spent on specifically and if it is for all staff across the District?
Answer: It is a line item that is a requirement due to the previous restricting of paydays.
Question: Why is there no plan to implement SATE as a stand-alone program? Is it due to budgetary constraints?
Answer: Not a program per se. The purpose of this endeavour is to explore effective practices. Continuation and expansion.
Question: As a follow-up from last year, has the funding been decreased for the Green Bin program we implemented last year?
Answer: There is funding in the current proposed budget. There are 6 sites being piloted and we are working with the City of Ottawa to pick up green bins.
As outlined in the Education Act, school boards must plan for a balanced budget before the start of each school year. The school system fiscal year starts on September 1. If the District chooses not to pass a balanced budget, then we run the risk of the Ministry taking over the school board.
In my personal opinion, as the provincial government, continues to tighten the budget year over year for education, passing a balanced budget is becoming increasingly harder and requires school boards to make tougher decisions about cutting funding throughout the system. It is of the utmost importance that we properly fund our education system, and I call on the provincial government to re-examine how it is currently spending its money and reallocate much-needed funds to the education system.
The recommendations were carried and during the Special Board Meeting the recommendations were passed. The board passed a balanced budget for the upcoming school year.
Please note, that the opinions expressed here are entirely my own and do not reflect an official position of the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board or the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board of Trustees. Please note answers from staff are paraphrased, the recording can be found here if you would like to watch the entire meeting. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me using my contact form here.
Key links
Video for the Committee of the Whole Budget on June 10, 2024
Agenda for the Committee of the Whole on June 10, 2024
Report 24-080, Staff Recommended Budget for 2024 to 2025
Advocacy Briefs
